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(No Model.)

J. H. H. BURGE. GAME. No. 440,737. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

o a a 61/ Q Q m I L //A' ATTORNEYS.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. HOBART BURGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD I. HORSMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,737, dated No 18, 1890- Application filed May 13, 1890. $erial No. 351,635. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY HOBART BURGE, a resident of the city of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Game, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagram of the play-board of my improved game, and Fig. 2 a side View of one of the men used.

This invention relates to a new game which can be played by two, three, or four persons on a checkered board, each person having a set of men distinguishable by color or otherwise from those used by the other players; and the invention consists, mainly, of a gameboard having a checkered surface, a portion of which is separated from the remainder in form of a central field, the corners or approaches to said central field being also distinguishable, as hereinafter more fully clescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents the game-board, the same being divided by lines that cross each other at right angles into a number of small squares a a, the drawings showing two hundred and fiftysix such squares. Within the center of the board a field B is formed, separately distinguishable from the remainder of the board by a heavy border-line b, which field is represented as having thirty-six squares a; but the number of squares is not material. From each corner of the board A the squares that approach the same are made distinguishable from other squares in a peculiar manner. Thus there are shaded squares d represent-ed, dotted squares e, and squares marked with stars f; but other means of indicating these distinctions may be employed.

The board being constructed as shown, and each player having a proper number of men somewhat like the man D shown in Fig. 2, the game is played as follows: If there be two players only, they will respectively use two diagonally-opposite corners 1 and 2 of the board and set their men on the shaded, dotted, and starred squares. The drawings indicate that each player would therefore be supplied with eighteen men, some of the marked squares entering into the field B, if desired. The object of each player will be, by jumping his men in manner analogous to checkers, to get them all into the field B before his opponent has an opportunity so to do,

an analogous object for each player being to block the opponents path, so that he will be less likely to advance his men quickly. If three players use the board A, they would use the three corners l 2 3, which have the dotted squares e, and in which case each player would have twelve men, there being a dotted square indicated for each of these players also within the field B; butif four are to play they will use the four corners, employing only the shaded squares, each player receiving nine men.

The special advantage of this game is that three players can enjoy it as well as two or four, and that it gives rise to many modifications.

It is evident that the number of shaded, dotted, and starred squares maybe varied, that all these squares so marked may be out- '7 5 side of the field B or some within said field B, and that various ways of indicating the differences between the squares may be used.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The play-board A, havingcheckered surface, within which is formed the inner field B, and having the squares d approaching said field from the corners separately marked, and having other separately-marked squares f near 85 two of the corners and other separatelymarked squares 6 near three of said corners of the board, substantially as herein shown and described.

J. H. HOBART BURGE.

Witnesses:

A. v. BRIESEN, JAMES L. SUYDAM. 

